Hotelchain: Warwick
Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: warwickhotels.com/warwick-brussels

Warwick Brussels is a top notch five star hotel right in the city center of Brussels. You really can’t beat its location as it is close to the most important and interesting attractions in Brussels. It is a classic five star property and soon as I entered the hotel, I felt at home.

After an efficient check-in, I went upstairs and explored our amazing Signature Executive Suite. At 50m², the suite had a great size and had all the amenities I expect from a high end hotel. The room actually felt like a small apartment with a separate living and sleeping area. The two televisions were very convenient as well. Warwick Brussels has a high comfort and service level. Turn down service was provided every night. As said before, I appreciated the overall style of the room, it had all the amenities one could ask for.

The marble bathroom was to die for, it had a separate bath tub and shower unit. All premium deluxe rooms and suites offer premium Bulgari toiletries (a big plus!!).

Be sure to check out the fitness facility. It is located on -1, right behind the reception desk. I did a work out and relaxed in the sauna afterwards. I was in Brussels for some shopping and it was great to relax in the sauna after a hectic day. For me, cleanliness is very important. At Warwick Brussels every inch was spotlessly clean.

After the shopping, working out and relaxing it was time to check out the on-site restaurant Chutney’s. This Victorian styled restaurant kind of made me feel like an upscale Irish pub offers great food and excellent service. I am told that this is one of the favorite restaurants in Brussels and I can easily see why. We thoroughly enjoyed one of their signature dishes: Trio Belge … this dish contains three typical Belgian specialties such as a huge meat ball from Liège, beef carbonade and vol au vent. Of course, the Belgian fries are served with this dish as well. Make sure you book a table here right when you check in as I can imagine it can get pretty busy here especially during the weekends.

We also enjoyed some after dinner drinks at the Secret Rooftop bar. This bar offers amazing views over the center of Brussels. Do try one the cocktails, they are delicious!

After a great night in the most wonderful bed, it was time for breakfast. Breakfast at Warwick Brussels is served at the Salon Grand Place. The buffet style breakfast is good and offers a good variety. I especially liked the old fashioned homemade bread pudding… again a Belgian specialty.

Warwick Brussels is one of the better hotels in Brussels. It offers comfortable accommodations with a five star service. You can have the most luxurious building, but without a terrific staff it is not working. At Warwick, each staff member approached and served me in a very professional way without being over the top. I could be myself and I loved it. Together with its prime locations, it is one of my favorite picks in Brussels! Highly recommended and I can’t wait to explore more Warwick properties in the future!

Hotelchain: Thon hotels
Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: thonhotels.be/…gie/brussel/stanhope-hotel

OK, let me tell you a little secret: if you are looking for a hidden gem right in the middle of Brussels… Stop looking! I found it for you! Stanhope hotel is the place to stay at! This five star hotel is located within walking distance of several cultural highlights in Brussels. By the way, the Stanhope hotel was the first five star hotel in Brussels and still is an up to date hotel while they kept the original elements of the building. When I entered the hotel, it felt like entering a palace…

The lobby are is bright and spacious. I could spend hours here, reading a book or browsing on my iPad. It is such a relaxing area where guests can enjoy a drink in the authentic library bar. Check-in was a breeze and I was warmly welcomed with a smile. I was so ready to explore this hotel! J

Firstly I was wowed by the elevator which looks like a mini library with several books showing names of former workers who used to work at the Stanhope hotel. And this is just one of the special touches at the Stanhope hotel. After every corner a new surprise is waiting. It truly is a magical place with a lot of history. Some parts of the hotel are classified.

I stayed in a gorgeous room. Actually, the most luxurious hotel room I stayed at in Brussels. It was decorated by interior designer Pieter Porters with the motto “more is more”. The room itself felt more like a small fancy New York apartment to me. The adjoining dressing room was very convenient. Other five star amenities: Nespresso coffee machine, bathrobes and good quality toiletries. They seriously think about the environment protection here and the hotel is awarded with both the eco-dynamic enterprise and Green Key label. They encourage guests to reduce waste and energy consumption which is great!

Later that night we had dinner at their signature restaurant Brighton, labeled by Michelin with 3 red forks. It is like going back in time, the décor is classy and sophisticated. The three course menu was delicious! As a starter I had the Roma tomatoes and mozzarella ‘di buffala’ with a coulis of pesto with rocket salad. The grilled lamb chops that followed were to die for! Service was flawless! The overall quality of the food was great and I definitely recommend you to have dinner here. You won’t be sorry!

The next morning, I worked out at the intimate fitness center. Although not too large, it has high quality equipment which is ideal to start your day! There’s a sauna as well. Great for relaxing after a busy day.

And then I was totally ready to enjoy the most wonderful breakfast. Breakfast at the Stanhope hotel is not just an ordinary breakfast, it is an impressive buffet with several cold and hot items. I appreciated the pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. It was the perfect start of the day! Again, products were of a great quality and I noticed the fact that there were no individual portions to avoid food and plastic waste. If the weather permits, you can even sit outside peacefully!

The Stanhope hotel has amazed me and not only for its gorgeous rooms. There is so much more to do in this hotel. Also, several up to date meeting rooms are available. Most rooms look different from each other but all of them are decorated in a very nice and comfortable way! Five stars all the way!

Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: hoteldesgaleries.be

One of the best locations in Brussels!

Situated in the one of the best spots of the city center of Brussels, hotel Des Galeries is one of a kind! This four star hotel is the best hotel in its category in Brussels I stayed at, let me tell you why…

First of all, you can’t beat the location. Of course, the hotel is located right at the famous Brussels gallerie du Roi, in the historic center of Brussels. The Grand-Place is only a 3 minute walk away and as soon as you leave the hotel you are in the middle of the famous Rue des Bouchers where tons of restaurants are waiting for you at very affordable rates! This luxurious boutique hotel has been built in 1847 and only has 23 rooms.

An upscale boutique hotel

What I appreciate about this hotel, is the fact that they combine modern and designer furniture with some traditional elements in the dining room. I read somewhere that hotel Des Galeries is a perfect ‘Instagram hotel’ and I can easily see why… I appreciated the elegant combination of modern/old and the artful play of colours and luxury fabrics.

Hotel Des Galeries has a small lobby area where I was welcomed with a biiiiig smile! Loved it!

Everything in the hotel is immaculately clean and decorated with style and charm. This is totally different than a big chain hotel, every room at hotel Des Galeries is different and unique.

The Love Nest

I stayed in one of their luxurious duplex suites. It was room “number 38” and it is reachable by a small private bridge which connects the two buildings. Loved it! It felt like a studio to me and was amazed by how beautiful this room was. I was told that they call it their ‘Love Nest’ and it truly is. The suite had a great size (45 m²) and upstairs there’s a beautiful bathroom with bath tub and separate walk-in shower. When you go down, you will reach a very beautiful and cosy bedroom with adjoining sitting area. The wooden ceilings add an extra romantic touch to the room. Normally I do not spend a lot of time in the room, but here I could spend a whole day. The cracking sounds when you walk around on the wooden floor, the amazing views over the rooftops and the displayed books made me feel relax and actually ‘at home’ which is truly unique.

Restaurant Le Comptoir

Downstairs there’s a full service restaurant Le Comptoir des Galeries, headed by the Michelin star Chef Julien Burlat. Unfortunately, when I was there the restaurant was closed but I’m sure that they serve the best food in a unique setting.

Breakfast is served from 7am-10:30am and although it wasn’t the largest buffet I have seen, the products they offer are fresh and of a good quality. The small buffet consists of cereals, some pastries and several cheeses. I loved the freshly squeezed orange juice and salmon.

With only 23 rooms, they are able to provide a very personal approach and service. Every staff member I met was very friendly and accommodating. Nothing is asked for too much. That makes the hotel Des Galeries so unique and unforgettable. Highly recommended for a comfortable getaway to beautiful Brussels! I loved every second of my stay here!

Hotelchain: Tangla Hotels
Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: tanglabrussels.com

Location

Tangla Hotel Brussels is one of the latest five star properties in our capital, Brussels and it didn’t disappoint! The hotel opened only one year ago and I read excellent things about the hotel so I was really looking forward to experiencing this beautiful place!

‘Tangla’ originates from the mystical legend of the Tanggula, a paradise nestled in the tranquil Qingzhang highlands blessed by the patron saint of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains. That is true, Tangla Hotel Brussels is a high end oriental designed five star property located only 15 mins from the city center and Brussels International Airport. The green surrounding area around the hotel is fantastic and you wouldn’t tell that this hotel is located near the airport. I didn’t hear a thing while staying here.

I was welcomed with a great smile and felt at ease right from the beginning. The lobby area is bright and stylish. Everything I needed to know about the hotel and its facilities were explained in a very kind way. I was escorted to the elevators and couldn’t wait to see our suite. Tangla Hotel Brussels has 187 rooms, all decorated in a very stylish way. The oriental theme is noticeable everywhere and I was really impressed by the overall decoration. Behind every corner, a new surprise was waiting for me. For example, the bells they used at a Chinese monastery are so beautiful … I wish I could take one for my home 🙂

The rooms & suites

To add the Chinese theme even more, they call the rooms ‘fáng’ (Chinese for room) and ‘Tàofáng’ (Chinese for suite). We stayed in a Tàofáng and were so excited when we entered. The suite was decorated in soft pastel colors and wooden panels. At 50m² the suite was large and offered all the amenities I would expect of a high end hotel. The suite came with a separate living and sleeping area. The luxuriously appointed marble bathroom had a bathtub and oversized walk-in rainshower. I especially appreciated the lightning in the rooms. Pretty impressive and controllable with panels. Even the drapes are electronically controlled for your convenience. Things such as a Nespresso machine, bathrobes and LED smartTV’s are available as well. I did visit their standard rooms and top suites as well and trust me, they’re all very tastefully designed with eye for detail.

Spa facilities

Tangla Hotel Brussels will open a brand new spa area in the next couple of weeks (end of May 2017) to their guests. I got the chance to explore it and loved it! The spa area is huge at 1200m². The indoor pool is large and the perfect place to unwind after a long flight or busy day in Brussels. You can relax in the oversized sauna too. The fitness area is one the best I have seen in any hotel, offering the latest technology equipment. They will even add a spa menu in the upcoming months and will write about that on a next occasion. The spa area will be the new highlight at Tangla Hotel Brussels! You will love too!

Restaurants/bars

We enjoyed dinner at Le Cinq, but first tried some cocktails at TLounge. This bar specializes in the finest whiskies, sourced from all corners of the world and a great selection of Newby teas. This definitely is the perfect place for an aperitif or after dinner drinks. Le Cinq is currently the only operating restaurant at Tangla Hotel Brussels (they will be opening Tang Dynasty pretty soon offering fancy Cantonese gastronomic experiences – I did had a sneak preview of the restaurant and was blown away only by the interior and will review this restaurant on a later occasion). Le Cinq is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a buffet styled restaurant and will please anyone. Dinner was great offering high quality products both Oriental and Western. There’s a live cooking station where you can order beef, shrimp, etc. The food was excellent, as was the service. Breakfast is something to look forward to as well. From the freshly prepared smoothies to the made to order eggs, I loved it!

Tangla Hotel Brussels is a top notch five star property in Brussels. To me, it definitely is one the better hotels in Belgium and would return in a heartbeat. Do note that the hotel offers shuttle service to the airport (7,5 EUR each way) and will be offering complimentary shuttle service to the airport soon. Even for business purposes, this is the hotel to choose as they have several excellent meeting/board rooms. The grand ballroom is impressive and took my breath away… Thumbs up, Tangla Hotel Brussels! Highly recommended for a luxurious oriental getaway!

Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: thehotel-brussels.be

Situated on the Avenue Louise, The Hotel is literally in the middle of it all and within walking distance of the major attractions in Brussels. This beautiful refurnished 4 star hotel has 421 rooms, a restaurant, bar and a large spa area with fitness center, sauna and a steam room. It is a pretty large building and the surrounding views are amazing! Although I have been to Brussels many times, I was pretty impressed with the views.

As I entered The Hotel, I was welcomed by very friendly front desk staff. Service at The Hotel is always with a smile which is absolutely pleasant. The lobby area is pretty large and I loved the decoration: quite trendy, but not over the top… It is classy with a modern touch, just the way I like it! The fashion theme is noticeable all over the place. One small (but important!) detail: lots of elevators! I didn’t have to wait more than 20 seconds to go up or down! Very convenient!

I stayed at one of their “Panoramic Deluxe rooms” on the 22^nd floor and boy, the room did have a fantastic view of Brussels! The room itself was very nicely laid out with a queen bed, open bathroom with a very good rainshower and all the nice amenities to go with the room. I was in love with the shampoo and body lotion, they smell great. There is a large couch in front of the window, a Nespresso machine, safe and there is a panel next to the bed allowing you to control all the lights and drapery.. Although the rooms are too large, they were sufficient for my needs.

Fitness area is large and has great equipment! Complimentary drinks are offered to their guests and as it is located on the 23^rd floor, I enjoyed the view of Brussels while I was working out! Next to the fitness area is the Spa featuring a panoramic sauna and a hamam. You should definitely check and try it out yourself. You won’t be disappointed and you will relax, I promise! Bathrobes and slippers can be found in your room.

Staying in a Panoramic Deluxe room allows you to enjoy the Panoramic Lounge offering complimentary drinks and snacks all day long. As it is located on the 24^th floor the lounge has impressive views out of Brussels. There are some small bites, but I was most impressed with the drinks. They even have champagne at no additional charges. Loved it!

Breakfast is served either in the restaurant downstairs or guests staying in the Panoramic Deluxe rooms or suites can have breakfast in the Panoramic Lounge as well. Both are buffet style breakfasts with enough choices of hot and cold food items. I believe the breakfast downstairs would be a better choice as the buffet was pretty good. The decoration of the restaurant was trendy yet cozy.

The Hotel Brussels is a unique hotel with outstanding facilities centrally located in the heart of Brussels. This was just a great overall experience, which I can thoroughly recommend!

Hotelchain: Warwick
Location: Brussels – Belgium
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: warwickhotels.com/nl/barsey

Situated on a very central spot in Brussels on the prestigious Avenue Louize (a fashionable shopping area), the Barsey by Warwick is a comfortable four star hotel with outstanding facilities. I appreciate the fact that the hotel combines modern comfort with traditional elements, very nicely done. The entire hotel has been decorated by the famous French designer Jacques Garcia.

When I entered the Barsey by Warwick hotel, I knew right from the beginning that this hotel definitely deserves its good reputation. I was welcomed with a smile and felt at home right from the beginning. The lobby area is very stylish and comfortable. It is directly connected to the wonderful bar and restaurant. The Barsey by Warwich truly has this boutique feeling.

There are 99 guestrooms, each decorated in a very elegant style with attention to details. The junior suite we stayed in was very comfortable and had everything I would expect of a four star accommodation. The bed was absolutely fantastic and everything in the room was spotlessly clean! Most rooms in city hotels are pretty small, but the rooms at the Barsey by Warwick hotel all offer plenty of space! Bathroom had separate shower and bath tub.

A special mention is The Avenue restaurant, a full service restaurant with an outstanding cuisine. We loved every single dish and service was outstanding. The staff had the right knowledge about each dish and recommended the right wines. As a starter I had the beef carpaccio which was served in a somewhat uncommon but very good way, all wrapped up and prepared with the right ingredients. The steak as a main course was delicious. I highly recommend not to leave the hotel for a good restaurant. Just book yourself a table when you check-in and I promise you won’t be disappointed! 🙂

On the level just above the lobby is a small fitness facility. Although not too large, you are able to exercise and start or end your day in a sporty way!

Breakfast is served downstairs and offers a great variety. The buffet has plenty of choices and if you fancy some fried eggs or an omelet, just ask the friendly staff and they will make sure you get the best eggs one could wish for 🙂 I also appreciated the fresh orange juice machine.

The Barsey by Warwick is a great four star hotel in a very interesting and convenient location. This may not be the most famous and grand hotel in Brussels, but it does offer great accommodations and a fantastic restaurant! I would return to this hotel if I was looking for a nice hotel in Brussels.

Hotelchain: Thon hotels
Location: Brussels
Classification: 4 star hotel
Official website: thonhotels.com/…s/hotel-bristol-stephanie

The Bristol Stephanie hotel (part of Thon hotels) is a great four star hotel located right at the Avenue Louise in the center of Brussels. The location truly is great! Whether you are in Brussels for shopping, business or sightseeing, everything is nearby. Even the Sablon is just minutes away. The reason why I loved this hotel so much beside its location, is the service they provide. It is a four star hotel with a five star service! Let me tell you why.

The personal check-in was very nice. Everything was explained in a very kind yet professional way. They suggested to park my car in the hotel parking located on the underground level. The large parking definitely is a bonus! Rates are very reasonable at only 15 EUR for 24 hrs, that is a bargain! I immediately noticed that although the building itself isn’t new anymore, they had a huge recent make-over. Most parts of the hotel are renovated in a very nice and elegant way. Oh, the large chandelier in the lobby area is stunning and represents the elegance and comfort of the Bristol Stephanie.

After my keys were handed, it was time to explore the room. Rooms at the Bristol Stephanie are among the largest rooms you will find in Brussels. They do have a great space and are very comfortable. The sitting area was lovely with the comfy couch and beds were heavenly! The room I stayed at even came with a private infra-red sauna which was a bonus! Bathroom was large too and although it could use an update, staff told me that they are planning to renovate them soon! It features double sinks, separate bathtub and shower. They even provide bath salt. Very nice rooms, loved them! Very clean too, by the way.

The fitness center is located on the lower level of the hotel. It is a good size gym with up to date equipment! After working out guests can use the sauna for ultimate relaxation.

At night, I ordered room service and was very satisfied with both food and service quality. It only took about 15 minutes before they brought the food upstairs. Did you know that the Bristol Stephanie has great mocktails? I tried the virgin mojito and could drink those every day if I could 🙂 As said before, their full service restaurant 91 is trendy decorated and offers an international cuisine. The next morning I had breakfast there. I was hoping for the freshly squeezed orange juice machine which I experienced at other Thon hotels before and was happy to find out they have it here too 🙂 The breakfast buffet was the perfect start of the day and will please anyone.

The Bristol Stephanie hotel in Brussels is a top notch four star hotel in a very interesting spot in Brussels. After staying there, I can confirm that this really is a four star hotel with a five star service. Every staff member was very kind, professional and efficient. I’m so happy to get to know this hotel and highly recommend staying there!